Apply for “Cutting Edge” – Researcher Excellence Programme!

Deadline: 5 September 2017

The National Research, Development and Innovation Fund is seeking applications for its “Cutting Edge” – Researcher Excellence Programme KKP 2017 that provides targeted funding to world-class researchers – i.e. the best performers (belonging to the top 10%) in their respective fields of science according to the call – in their most dynamic and creative career phases enabling them to help bridging the gap between Hungary and the developed countries by implementing promising research projects as pioneering leaders in the forefront of international research.

The KKP_17 call is only open to basic research projects without thematic restrictions provided that the applicant’s professional CV and research plan meet the requirements set out in the call. Applicants have the highest chance if they have achieved internationally outstanding scientific results in the past five years and can be reasonably expected to continue this world-class performance on the basis of their research plan.

Funding Information

Available budget

The total budget earmarked from the NRDI Fund for the implementation of the programme between 2018 and 2022 is HUF 3 billion (EUR 9.8 million), including HUF 600 million (EUR 1.9 million) to be disbursed in 2018.

Maximum grant per project

The maximum amount of grant for the maximum duration of 60 months is HUF 300 million (nearly EUR 1 million) per project (an annual average of HUF 60 million i.e. EUR 0.2 million) as non-refundable funding.

Eligibility Criteria

Researchers (leading researchers) with Hungarian or foreign nationality must apply jointly with the host institution which must be

a higher education institution, research centre, research institution, budgetary organ or an institution thereof having legal personality if it qualifies as a research facility under the RDI Act.

a non-profit organisation pursuing research and development as core activity

domiciled in Hungary and having legal personality.

At the time of application and throughout the entire implementation period the leading researcher must be a full-time worker of the host institution under an employment contract, civil service contract, works contract or other contract aimed at performing work.

Requirements for leading researchers

The leading researcher must have a PhD/DLA degree and must belong to a Hungarian host institution.

Leaders of projects selected for funding in this call may not apply for funding from the Researchers’ Thematic Applications Programme in the first 36 months of the funding period.

Leading researchers must fall within the top 10% of their respective fields of science.

How to Apply

Project proposals can be submitted electronically through the Online Application Portal given on the website.